Table 4.
Adjusted Results of Meta-analyses of Correlations of NSS and Neurocognitive Functions
| Number of Studies | Number of Studies Missing | Adjusted Correlation (Adjusted 95% CI) | Adjusted Q Value | |
| Correlation between NSS total score and cognitive abilities | 47 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-MC subscale | 24 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 31 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-Mseq subscale | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 17 | 0 | — | — |
| Correlation between NSS total score and verbal memory | 4 | 0 (right side 2) | — | — |
| (WMS-R verbal pairs; paired associate learning; logical memory—immediate, delayed; CVLT) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 6 | 2 | −0.325 (−0.394, −0.253) | 5.248 |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 4 | 0 (right side 1) | ||
| Correlation between NSS total score and nonverbal memory | 6 | 1 | −0.344 (−0.455, −0.221) | 18.183 |
| (WMS-R visual reproduction—immediate, delayed; visual pairs; ROCFT) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 7 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-Mseq subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 4 | 2 | −0.056 (−0.187, 0.078) | 9.192 |
| Correlation between NSS total score and motor | 4 | 1 | −0.29 (−0.378, −0.197) | 0.673 |
| (Finger tapping test, Purdue pegboard task) | ||||
| Correlation between NSS total score and attention | 8 | 0 | — | — |
| (TMT-A, B time; WAIS-R—digit span; reading span test; Stroop; Continuous Performance Test; SART) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 2 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| NSS-Mseq subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| Correlation between NSS total score and IQ | 6 | 0 (right side 2) | — | — |
| (WAIS-R—full scale, verbal, performance; WAIT-III; MWT-B; Ammons Quick Test) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 4 | 0 (right side 2) | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 5 | 1 | −0.451 (−0.529, −0.367) | 6.142 |
| NSS-Mseq subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 2 | NA | — | — |
| Correlation between NSS total score and spatial ability | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| (WAIS-R block design, picture arrangement, picture completion) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 2 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| Correlation between NSS total score and executive function | 10 | 2 | −0.341 (−0.412, −0.266) | 12.746 |
| (WCST categories achieved; preservative errors; total errors; SET) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 6 | 2 | −0.316 (−0.391, −0.237) | 2.937 |
| NSS-SI subscale | 4 | 0 (right side 2) | — | — |
| NSS-Mseq subscale | 3 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 4 | NA | — | — |
| Correlation between NSS total score and language function | 4 | 1 | −0.329 (−0.412, −0.240) | 3.946 |
| (WAIS-R vocabulary; WRAT-vocabulary; VF) | ||||
| NSS-MC subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
| NSS-SI subscale | 4 | 1 | −0.371 (−0.456, −0.279) | 2.461 |
| NSS-disinhib subscale | 1 | NA | — | — |
Note: NSS = neurological soft signs; MC = motor coordination; SI = sensory integration; MSeq = complex motor sequencing; disinhib = disinhibition; WMS-R = Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised; CVLT = California Verbal Learning Test; ROCFT = Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test; NA, not available; TMT-A, B = Trail-Making Test—A, B; WAIS-R = Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised; SART = Sustained Attention to Response Test; WAIT-III = Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test-III; MWT-B = Mehrfachwahl-Wortschatz-Intelligenz Test; WCST = Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; SET = Six-Elements Test; WRAT = Wide Range Achievement Test; VF = verbal fluency from Controlled Word Association Test; NA = Not Available.